Christian II asks the archbishop to help Karine
DN 9/698 · 15 April 1532 · Oslo
What the letter says
King Christian II writes from Oslo on 15 April 1532 to Archbishop Olav of Nidaros. The maiden Karine has complained to him that fru Ingerd, Vincens Lunge, Nils Lykke and their party have taken some of her rightful inherited property from her by force, without law, judgment or right. The king asks the archbishop to help her recover the property in the Northern lands, which she has inherited from her father, mother, brothers and other kin.
The letter in modern English
Christian, by the grace of God King of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Wends and the Goths, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein, Stormarn and Dithmarschen etc. After respectful greeting with our sincere favour. Dear lord and father, you should know that our beloved maiden Karine has informed us that fru Ingerd, Vincens, Nils Lykke and their party have taken some of her rightful inherited property from her with might and force, without law, judgment and right. Therefore we kindly ask you, for the sake of this our request and letter, to look to her best and help her so that she may recover her property there in the Northern lands, which she has inherited from her father, mother, brothers and other kin, and that to which she has a right. In this you do us a special favour, and we will kindly repay it. Farewell in Christ. From Oslo on 15 April in the year of the Lord 1532 under our signet. [Address:] To the most reverend father in Christ, Lord Olav, by the grace of God Archbishop of Nidaros and legate of the apostolic see, our sincerely beloved.
Original text
Christiernus dei gracia Dacie Suecie Noruegie Sclauorum Gottorumque rex dux Slesuicensis et Holsatie Stormarie *oc Ditmertie etc.Premissa reuerentia cum nostro sincero fauore. Kere herre oc fader vider ath oss elskelige jomfrw Karine haffuer ladet bereth fore oss ath ffrw Jngerd Vincentz Niss Løcke oc deriss parti haffue taget noget hendiss rette arffuegotz fra hende met mact oc velde vden lag dom oc reth.
Background
Christian II had been deposed in 1523, but came to Norway with an army in the autumn of 1531 and was acclaimed by Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson and part of the Council of the Realm. In April 1532 he lay outside Oslo trying to take Akershus. Karine Alvsdatter, daughter of Alv Knutsson, sought help from the king who then held power in Norway, against fru Inger and her sons-in-law, who sided with King Frederik I. The Northern lands here mean the country north of the mountains, where the Giske estate lay. The letter shows how the inheritance dispute over Giske became part of the great struggle between the two kings.